How much does SEO cost in Nigeria? (2026 guide)

Monthly SEO vs a one-off job

Most SEO in Nigeria is sold as a monthly retainer. That is because rankings come from steady work: fixing the site, adding pages people search for, and earning mentions over time. A one-off audit or setup can be worth it if your site has never been checked, but on its own it rarely moves rankings for long.

A sensible start is a setup month followed by a retainer of at least 3 months. Some technical fixes show within weeks, but meaningful growth usually takes several months.

What should be included each month

• Technical fixes: speed, broken pages, indexing and structured data
• New pages or posts written for real searches your customers use
• Local SEO: your Google Business Profile, reviews and directory listings
• Tracking of positions and clicks for the searches that matter to you
• A short monthly report in plain words: what was done, what changed, what is next

If a package does not say how many pages or posts you get each month, ask before you pay.

What pushes the price up

• Competition: "SEO company in Lagos" is harder than "event hall in Ikeja"
• Size: an online store with 500 products needs more work than a 6 page site
• Content: if the agency writes everything, it costs more than polishing your drafts
• Locations: ranking in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt is three jobs, not one
• Starting point: a slow or broken site needs fixing before SEO can work

AI search: getting named in ChatGPT and Gemini

More buyers now ask ChatGPT or Gemini for recommendations. Some agencies sell this as "AI search", "GEO" or "AEO", usually as a paid extra on top of SEO. WebFX, a large US agency, publishes its own GEO pricing as an example of how this is sold abroad.

In practice it overlaps a lot with good SEO: clear pages, reviews, directory listings and mentions on trusted sites. In our research we found few Nigerian agencies listing it as a service, so ask exactly what they will do and how they will show you the results.

Costs that are usually extra

• Sponsored posts on news sites. Prices vary a lot by outlet and placement: one smaller Nigerian tech blog lists about ₦75,000, while the biggest outlets quote on request and charge much more.
• Paid directory listings or featured spots
• Photography and video for your Google Business Profile
• A new website, if the current one cannot be fixed

A good agency tells you about these before you start, and lets you approve each one.

SEO costs by type of business

These are rough guides to where most businesses land, not quotes.

• A local business in one area (a clinic, salon or school): usually the lower end, because the searches are local and the map pack is reachable
• A service firm targeting all of Lagos or Nigeria: the middle range, because more pages and content are needed
• An online store with many products: the middle to upper range, depending on how many product and category pages need work
• A business competing nationally in a busy market, such as finance or real estate: the upper range and above

Questions to ask before you sign

• Which searches will you target first, and why?
• How many pages or posts will you publish each month?
• What will the monthly report show?
• Who owns the content and the Google accounts if we stop?
• What is the minimum term, and how do we end it?
• What have you ranked before that I can check myself?

Red flags: when cheap SEO costs more

• A promise of "#1 on Google". No honest agency can promise it.
• "1,000 backlinks for ₦20,000". Bought links can get your site penalised.
• Reports full of "impressions" but no clicks, positions or enquiries.
• The agency owns your Google accounts or content. They should be in your name.
• No proof. Ask what they have ranked, ideally something you can check yourself.

How long until you see results

There is no fixed timetable. Google says some changes take effect within days while others take months. In our experience, technical fixes can show within weeks, while meaningful growth usually takes several months. Busy national searches take longer, and no honest agency can guarantee a ranking or a date.

For example, our own sports app SharpPunter got 15.6K clicks from Google between 10 August and 9 November 2026, and averaged position 1.3 for "convert sportybet code to bet9ja" in the 28 days to 8 November (Google Search Console). That came from fixing the site, publishing pages for each search people use, and keeping at it. Read the SharpPunter story.

How we price SEO at Engagoor

We give a fixed monthly quote in writing after a short call, based on your site, your searches and your goals. The standard plan includes technical fixes, 4 pages or posts a month, your Google Business Profile and a two-minute monthly report. AI search checks are available as an add-on. Sponsored posts are never hidden in the fee: we agree each one with you and you pay the outlet directly.

See our SEO services in Nigeria, or start a project and we will reply within 24 hours.